Container



Nov. 14, 1961 3,008,623

D. D. OVERTON CONTAINER Filed Sept. 2, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 N F1 9:3 22/ f 2.0

16 an 2 F '99 F1 ZNVENTOR:

, Down b.ovem'orl 2 I I 20 2o M AM-LW ATTORNEYS Nov. 14, 1961 Filed Sept. 2, 1958 D. OVERTON 3,008,623

CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BOL'PH D. OVERTON ATTORNEYS I.

Nov. 14, 1961 D. D. OVERTQN CONTAINER a Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 2, 1958 Dona-1 hove-1210M BY idio 55w, #wdrw agw ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0 3,008,623 CONTAINER Dolph D. Overton, Andrews, S.C., assignor to Overton Container Corporation, Wilson, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Sept. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 758,267 Claims. (Cl. 229--5.7)

This invention relates to improvements in closure means for containers. More particularly, the invention pertains to tubular containers which are used for shipping and storing various commodities, such as tobacco, and to improved means for closing the ends of such tubular containers.

It frequently becomes necessary to open tubular containers such as tobacco hogsheads to inspect their contents after they have been packed and to subsequently reclose such containers about their original contents. Tobacco hogsheads are commonly formed from a tubular shell or body portion closed at each end thereof by a head. In order to position the heads in the open ends of the tubular shell, it has formerly been necessary to open the tubular shell along a joint extending the length thereof before the heads can be placed in position, thereafter closing the tubular shell tightly about the heads to retain the heads in place at each end of the tubular shell.

When inspecting tobacco in a hogshead of the latter type, the removal of a head from the hogshead results in the opening of the tubular shell along the joint therein. Such a construction creates considerable trouble in that substantially complete reassembly of the hogshead is required following the inspection of the tobacco contained therein. Moreover, tobacco is highly prone to absorb moisture which causes swelling and a consequent increase in volume when exposed to the atmosphere, as during the inspection of tobacco which has been previously sealed in hogsheads. The increased volume of the tobacco magnifies the problem of reclos-ing the conventional tubular shell about the tobacco during reassembly of the hogshead.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a hogshead which comprises a body portion adapted to be maintained in a tubular form even during and after the removal of one or both heads.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide improved closure means for a container such as a hogshead, said closure means including a cover seated Within the open end of the container and having a plurality of locking flaps thereon adapted to be interlocked with marginal flaps provided on the open end of the container.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- FIGURE 1 is a plan View looking at the outer surface of one of the end closure heads removed from the hogshead and illustrating the position of the flaps thereon prior to assembly of the head with the hogshead;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the shell or tubular body portion of the hogshead with parts broken away, and illustrating the manner in which the marginal flaps project from each open end thereof prior to assembly of the hogshead;

. FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing one of the heads positioned within an open end' 3,008,623 Patented Nov. 14, 1961 of the tubular body portion and illustrating the relative positions of the flaps on the head and the tubular. body portion prior to assembly of the same in interlocking position;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 4, but taken through the center of one of the flaps on the head and illustrating a further step in the assembly of the head within the tubular body portion of the hogshead;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view with parts broken away, similar to FIGURE 5 but showing one head completely assembled within an open end of the tubular body portion of the hogshead;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of the assembled hogshead;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 88 of FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 is an exploded perspective view of a modified form of the invention wherein the flaps on the heads are formed from die-cut blanks secured to the heads;

FIGURE 1 0 is a plan view of the die-cut blank of FIGURE 9 removed from the head;

FIGURE 11 is an isometric view illustrating an alternate configuration of the container;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary isometric view of an assembled container partially in section and with parts broken away for purposes of clarity, illustrating means for retaining the metal band in a desired location during assembly of the container; and

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line -1313 in FIGURE 12 and illustrating an alternate construction of the fibreboard shell.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the reference numeral 15 broadly designates a container, such as l a hogshead used for shipping tobacco. Although the container embodying the present. invention is particularly adapted to be used as a hogshead for shipping tobacco and is described as such, it will be distinctly understood that the container is one suitable for general ultility.

The hogshead 15 comprises a tubular body portion or shell 16 and closure means or heads 17 for the open upper and lower ends of the tubular body portion 16. Referring to FIGURE 2, the tubular body portion or shell 16 of the hogshead 15 is shown prior to the assembly of the heads 17 in the open ends thereof. The tubular body portion or shell 16 is made from a flat blank of corrugated paperboard, fibreboard or other bendable sheet material, which is divided into side wall panels 18 by longitudinally extending score lines 19, the ends of the blank being brought together in overlapping relationship to define the tubular body portion 16. The blank from which the shell 16 is formed may include a layer of polyethylene or other suitable impervious material such as indicated at P in FIGURE 13, in which event the polyethylene P is laminated between skins S of kraft paper and a corrugated core C. Such a construction produces a substantially moisture-proof container suitable for the storage and preservation of certain commodities. Preferably, the overlapping ends of the blank forming the tubular body portion 16 are permanently secured together by suitable portion 16 provide a container having a polygonal crosssection approximating a circle and it will be apparent that as the erected container is filled, its cross-sectional configuration more closely approaches a circle. In fact, if desired, the shell 16 may take the form of a right cylinder by omitting the side wall panels 18 and longitudinally extending score lines 19 therebetween. The provision of the panels 18 is deemed preferable to help define a plurality of marginal flaps 20 at the upper and lower open ends of the shell 16. Each marginal flap 20 is hingedly connected to the corresponding end of a side wall panel '18 by a connector panel 21 defined by transverse score lines 21a and 21b.

The closure means or heads 17 provided for the upper and lower open ends of the tubular body portion or shell 16 areidentical and each head 17 includes a circular cover 22 which comprises double layers 23, 24 of wood or similar rigid material. The bottom layer 23 of the cover 22 may be formed from a plurality of spaced apart planks or boards which are positioned so that the lengths thereof are disposed at substantially right angles to the lengths of the abutting planks or boards forming the top layer 24 of the cover 22. A layer of polyethylene or other suitable impervious material may be provided on the inner surface of each head 17.

A plurality of locking flaps 25 made of bendable sheet material are arranged around the circumference of the top layer 24 of the circular cover 22. According to the form of invention shown in FIGURE 1, each locking flap 25' includes one side portion disposed in overlying relationship to a corresponding side portion of an adjacent locking flap, while the other side portion is disposed in underlying relationship with respect to the side portion of the locking flap on its opposite side. One locking flap 25a is preferably positioned in such a manner that both of its side portions are in overlapping relationship with respect to the corresponding side portions of the locking flaps 25 adjacent thereto.

Each of the locking flaps 25 and 25a is provided with a plurality of spaced transverse score lines 30, 31, 32 and 33, thereby separating the locking flaps into a plurality of panel sections 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38. The end panel. section 34 is defined by one edge of the locking flap and the score line 30, and a first intermediate panel section 35 is bounded by the score lines and 31, respectively. A second intermediate panel section 36 is bounded by the score lines 31 and 32, respectively, while a third intermediate panel section 37 is bounded by'the score lines 32 and 3-3. The other end portion of each locking flap is in the form of a tab member 38 hingedly connected to the third intermediate panel section 37 by the score line 33.

The plurality of locking flaps 25 (25a included) are secured to the top layer 24 of the cover 22 along their end panel sections 34' by a circular liner or hoop 41 of suitable material, such as wood, which extends about the circumference of cover 22. Suitable means, such as staples N, may be provided to secure the liner or hoop 41 to the cover 22 with the locking flaps 25 and flap 25a sandwiched therebetween.

The assembly of the heads '17 within the ends of the shell 16, with particular reference to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 will now be described, it being understood that the manner of securing each of the heads 17 within the corresponding openends of the shell 16 is the same. Referring to FIGURE 4, it will be noted that one head 17 has been inserted within an open end of the shell 16 with the liner 41 disposed below the connector panels 21 in the shell 16. Since the erected shell 16 takes the form of a right cylinder when filled, the head 17 may be snugly received within the open end of the shell 16 as shown in FIGURE 4, after which the marginal flaps 20 on the shell 16 are folded downwardly, as illustrated in FIG- URE 5, preparatory to folding them into interlocking en- 4. gagement with the locking flaps 2S and 25a on the head 17.

The locking flap 25a is first folded upwardly along the score line 30 thereby positioning the first intermedite panel section 35 in parallel relationship with the axis of the circular liner or hoop 41, While the end panel section 34 remains secured between the liner 41 and the circular cover 22. The locking flap 25 is then folded outwardly along the score line 31, thereby disposing the second intermediate panel 36 in parallel relationship with the end panel 34 and in engagement with the top planer surface of the circular liner or hoop 41. Thereafter, each successive flap 25 in a clockwise direction in FIGURE 1 issimilarly folded until all of the flaps 25 and the flap 25a extend about the liner 41 in a manner similar to that shown in FIGURE 5.

At this stage, it is preferable to loosely encircle the downturned marginal flaps 20 with a metal strap or band 46 having end portions 47a, 47b (FIGURE 7). The flap 25a and. the flaps 25 are then folded downwardly along their respective score lines 32 to position the third intermediate panel section 37 in juxtaposed relationship to a corresponding downturned marginal flap 20'. The metal strap or band 46 is thereby sandwiched between the marginal flaps 20 and the third intermediate panel sections 37 of the locking flaps 25 with the free ends of the band 46 extending outwardly around the flap 25a.

The free ends of some of the flaps 20 on the shell 16 are cut as at 48 to define tabs 49 which serve as strap or band locks by limiting upward movement of the band 46 and frictionally engaging the band 46 to help hold it in a desired position during assembly of the heads on the shell. The band 46 is engaged at spaced points by the tabs or looks '49 by simply passing the band behind the tabs 49 when loosely positioning the band 46 about the flaps 20.

The tab member 38 of each locking flap 25 and the locking flap 25a is then folded upwardly about the score line 33 and is interposed between the marginal flap 20 and its respective side wall panel 18 of the tubular shell 16. The end portions 47a, 47b of the metal strap or band 46 are then passed outwardly of the third intermediate panel section 37 on flap 25a to lie exposed to view where they may be readily secured together by suitable means such as crimp lock 51 (FIGURES 7 and 8). It is important to note that the metal band 46 is not supported solely, when tightened, by the fibreboard shell 16. Instead, the metal band 46 is so positioned prior to tightening as to extend about the head 17. Consequently, the head 17 provides rigid support for the band 46, permiting it to be drawn very tightly about the container thereby positively securing the flaps 25 and 25a in interlocking engagement with the flaps 20. Since the band 46, when tightened, bears against the head 17 rather than merely against the shell 16, an impact on the shell will not loosen the band 46 as would otherwise be the case.

Such an arrangement provides a knock-down type of container capable of transporting over two tons of sand and other material which is not-self-supporting.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in FIG- URES 9 and 10 wherein the locking flaps on the heads are formed from die-cut blanks 55. In this form of the invention, the flaps 25b are defined in the blank 55 by inwardly converging lines of cut56' which terminate at points equally spaced from the peripheral edge of the blank 55. The center of the blank is cut away as at 57 to define the free ends of the flaps 25b. Each of the flaps 25b is scored transversely at 30b, 31b, 32b and 33b, as in the form of the invention first described, to define respective panels 34b, 35b, 36b, 37b, and 38b. The blank 55 is secured to the head 17 by sandwiching the panel 34b between the top layer 24 and the liner 41, after which the liner is secured to the cover as previously described. The flaps 25b interlock with the flaps 20 on the shell 16 in the same manner as the flaps 25;so that a further description is not necessary.

FIGURE 11 illustrates how the invention maybe utilized in containers of various configurations, it only being necessary in each instance, as is conventional, to conform the configuration of the heads 17 to that of the shell 16. The flaps 20 on the shell '16 are the same in .any event and the flaps on the heads 17 may be individual members like the fiaps 25, or may be for-med in a blank, as are the flaps 25b, to conform with the heads of the container.

It will be understood that regardless of the configuration of the container, the flaps on the heads are interlocked with the flaps on the shell as previously described and that the metal bands are positioned to be tightened about the rigid heads 17 which permit the metal bands to be secured very tightly about the interlocking flaps.

It is deemed preferable, regardless of the configuration of the container, to position the metal bands underneath a portion of all the fiaps on the heads except one, as shown in the drawings. This not only minimizes the possibility of the band being accidentally snagged and broken, but also aids in properly seating the band so as to bear against its corresponding head when tightened.

The manner in which the heads 17 are removably secured to the open ends of the shell 16 permits the overlapping ends of the shell 1-6 to be permanently secured together. When it is desired to open the container without removing its contents, such as for the inspection of tobacco, the metal strap 46 may be removed from one of the heads 17 by cutting the exposed portion of the band or by removal of the crimp lock 51. The locking flaps on the head 17 may then be disengaged from the marginal flaps 20 on the shell to allow the head 17 to be pulled away from the shell 16. It will be apparent that the removal of the head 17 in the manner indicated can be accomplished while retaining the shell 16 in tubular form, thus permitting the tobacco contained therein to be inspected and graded following which the head 17 may be replaced in the open end of the shell 16 just as it was originally with a minimum of effort. Consequently, the problem of reclosing a split or segmental body portion or shell of a hogshead about the tobacco which may have a tendency to increase in volume because of swelling is eliminated, such swelling as occurs being accommodated by increased compression of the tobacco by the tubular body portion or shell 16.

It is apparent that the container may be quickly assembled and disassembled. When disassembled, the tubular body portion or shell 16 thereof may be flattened out to permit storage of the container when knocked down in a minimum space. The container is usually about four feet in diameter and the liners 41 at each end define annular flanges which serve as grasping means to facilitate handling of the container.

Thus, there has been disclosed a container including improved closure means for the open ends of a tubular body portion, wherein the tubular body portion may be retained in its tubular condition subsequent to the removal of a head therefrom.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A foldable container having an open end and externally positioned marginal flaps on said open end, said marginal flaps being folded in overlying relation to the outer surface of said container, means for closing the open end of said container, said closure means comprising a rigid non-foldable cover snugly engageable within the open end of said container in spaced relation to the junctures between said marginal flaps and said container, a

plurality of foldable locking flaps secured to said cover along its periphery, each of said locking flaps extending over said marginal flaps of the container and including a tab member as the free end portion thereof, said tab members being interposed between said marginal flaps and the container to removably secure said closure means within the open end of said container, and means-encircling said container in alinement with the periphery of said cover and securing said marginal fiaps and said locking flaps to said cover.

2. A foldable container having an open end and marginal flaps hingedly connected to its open end along respective score lines, said marginal flaps being folded' about said score lines in overlying relation to the outer surface of said container, means for closing the open end of said container, said closure means comprising a rigid non-foldable cover snugly receivable Within the open end of said container, said cover being positioned within the interior of said container and being spaced from said score lines hingedly connecting the marginal flaps to the open end of said container, a plurality of foldable locking flaps arranged around the periphery of said cover, an upstanding liner bounding the exposed surface of said cover, one edge portion ,of each of said plurality of locking flaps being clamped between said cover and said liner, said liner having an outer planar surface substantially flush with said score lines, each of said locking flaps extending over said liner and over the marginal flaps on the container and including a tab member as the free end portion thereof, and said tab members being interposed between corersponding marginal flaps and the container to removably secure said closure means to the open end of said container.

3. A foldable container as defined in claim 2, further including a clamping band encircling said container in alinement with the periphery of said cover, said band overlying said tab members and said marginal flaps and being disposed beneath at least a majority of the locking flap portions overlying said marginal flaps.

4. A knock-down container comprising a tubular shell formed of foldable material and having an open end, a plurality of flaps articulated to the edge of the shell adjacent its open end, said marginal flaps being folded in overlying relation to the outer surface of said shell, a closure for said open end of the shell comprising a rigid non-foldable head snugly receivable within the open end of the shell in spaced relation to the junctures between sa-id marginal flaps and said shell, a die-cut blank of foldable material positioned on the outer surface of the head, an upstanding liner secured about the periph eral edge of the head and over the marginal edge of the blank in snug engagement with the inner surface of said shell, said blank defining a plurality of outwardly foldable flaps, said outwardly foldable flaps on the head being engageable with said marginal flaps on the shell [in interlocking relationship, and means releasably securing the interlocking flaps to said head.

5. A container comprising an open topped tubular shell formed of foldable material and including a plurality of marginal flaps extending from the open top of the shell, said marginal flaps being folded in overlying relation to the outer surface of said shell, a head snugly engageable within said shell and forming a closure for the open top of the shell, a plurality of flaps secured adjacent the periphery of the head and extending inwardly therefrom across the upper surface of the head, the flaps on the head being foldable outwardly about the periphery of the head and into interlocking engagement with the marginal flaps on the shell, a metal band encircling said shell in alinement with the periphery of said head and tightly engageable with the interlocking flaps to secure the head within the shell, at least some of the marginal flaps on the shell having tabs defining strap locks formed adjacent the free ends thereof, and said metal band overlying said marginal 7 flaps and being threaded beneath said strap lock, tabs formed on the marginal fiaps'.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,024,035 Foshee Dec. 10, 1935 2,129,488 Bomberger Sept. 6, 1938 2,149,720 Becker Mar; 7', 1939 8 Karl Apr. 21, Wilcox Dec. '15, Wausk'er Jan; 23, Waters Oct. 15, Hamilton et a1. Sept. 9, Blackman Nov. 16, Welshenbach Apr. 3, George et al. June 4, Magill etal. Jan. 7, 

